Home Of Metal - Celebrating Music From Birmingham And The Black Country, is a one-of-a-kind exhibit celebrating 40 years of heavy metal and its unique birthplace. The exhibition runs until September 25th at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

The city of Birmingham has spawned arguably some of the most influential bands of all time - bands who defined genres and influenced generations including BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS PRIEST and LED ZEPPELIN.

Over the past four years, Home Of Metal has scoured the UK and beyond for relics, artefacts, memorabilia and interesting stories. The show will offer an insight into the region’s industrial history, the early blues-rocks sound, the changing music industry, DIY politics and the global impact of the sound as well as a chance to hear stories from both the fans and the artists.

According to Birminghammail.net, after being welcomed to the show by Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, on film of course, visitors begin the journey in a 1960s Birmingham factory similar to one in which Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi worked. The recreation shows how the sounds of industry influenced heavy metal.

Tony Iommi has contributed stage clothes, Black Sabbath's Mob Rules stage cross, a guitar, amp and cabinet. Judas Priest have donated their stage costumes from their Painkiller world tour. There is also a Harley Davidson motorcycle similar to the on-stage one used by Priest frontman Rob Halford.

Four decades since heavy metal was unleashed onto an unsuspecting world, it is finally coming home to Birmingham and the Black Country in celebration of a truly global musical phenomenon.